Adenandra villosa, pink and shiny

The flowers of Adenandra villosa are occasionally borne solitary, mostly in flat-topped heads of two to six on short stalks at branch tips. Petal colour, usually referred to as porcelain white, is sometimes faintly touched with pink as in this photo. The lower or reverse petal surfaces are darker, a reddish pink conspicuously shown on the buds before opening.

The stamens are visible here, as well as the five staminodes topped with reddish glands, alternating with the stamens in a circular arrangement. The short style with capitate stigma hides in the centre.

Flowering happens from mid-autumn to midsummer, peaking roughly in spring. The photo was taken in Bainskloof during October (Manning, 2007; Bean and Johns, 2005; iSpot).